Norman J. Grossfeld

Norman J. Grossfeld (b. December 15, 1963 in New York) is an American television producer and screenwriter and executive. From February 1994 to December 2009, he was the president of 4Kids Productions, a subsidiary of 4Kids Entertainment. He produced the English adaptations of the first eight seasons of the Pokémon TV series and six seasons of the Yu-Gi-Oh! TV series. He produced five seasons of the new Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, five Pokémon movies, and one Yu-Gi-Oh! movie.[1][2]

Before his role as president of 4Kids, Grossfeld was a producer and director at Television Programming Enterprises from 1988 to 1991, worked at NBC Sports from 1991 to 1992 as a coordinating director, and spent 1992 through 1994 as president of the television production company Gold Coast Television Entertainment.[2]

Grossfeld is credited with writing the Pokémon franchise's tagline, "Gotta catch 'em all!" His originally suggested idea was "Catch 'Em if You Can", but this was rejected by Nintendo, the company that owns Pokémon, because they were unable to trademark it.[3] He also wrote both the main and ending theme songs for Sonic X and Kirby: Right Back at Ya!, and the English ending theme song to Pokémon: Jirachi Wish Maker.

Contents

Filmography

Movies

Year Title Role
1999 Pokémon: The First Movie Writer, Producer[4][5][6][7]
2000 Pokémon: The Movie 2000 Writer, Producer[7][8]
2001 Pokémon 3: The Movie Writer,[9] Producer[7][10]
2002 Pokémon 4Ever Writer,[6] Executive producer[11]
2003 Pokémon Heroes Executive producer[12]
Yu-Gi-Oh! The Movie: Pyramid of Light Writer, Executive producer[7][13]
2004 Pokémon: Jirachi Wish Maker Writer,[7] Producer, Ending theme song writer
2005 Pokémon: Destiny Deoxys Writer, Producer [7]

Television

Year Title Role
1986 Fame, Fortune & Romance Director[6][7]
1987 Runaway With the Rich and Famous Director[6][7]
1988 Rich and Famous 1988 World's Best Associate producer[6][7]
1988 Masters of the Martial Arts Presented by Wesley Snipes Writer[7]
1993 Campbell's Portrait of a Teacher Field producer[6][7]
1995 WMAC Masters Executive producer[14]
1998 Pokémon Writer, Executive producer,[6][7] Song writer[15]
2001 Cubix Writer, Executive producer, Theme song writer[6][7]
2003 Sonic X Executive producer, Theme song writer
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Executive producer, Theme song writer[16]
2002 Yu-Gi-Oh! Executive producer,[6][7] Song writer[17]
Kirby: Right Back at Ya! Executive producer, Theme song writer
2004 One Piece Executive producer[6][7]
2005 Winx Club Executive producer
2006 Viva Pinata (TV series) Executive Producer

References

  1. ^ "4Kids Entertainment - Senior Management Team". http://www.4kidsentertainment.com/#about/3/1. Retrieved 2009-09-04. 
  2. ^ a b "Norman Grossfeld Profile - Forbes.com". Archived from the original on 2009-09-04. http://www.webcitation.org/5jXQ2wANG. Retrieved 2009-09-04. 
  3. ^ Myers, Andy (August 2005). "Built to Last: The history of Pokémon". Nintendo Power (194): 56–61. 
  4. ^ Rauzi, Robin (November 10, 1999). "Movie Review - Pokémon: The First Movie". Los Angeles Times. http://www.calendarlive.com/movies/reviews/cl-movie000406-143,0,7068492.story. Retrieved 2009-09-04. 
  5. ^ Moret, Jim (November 11, 1999). "Pokémon craze moves to theaters". CNN. http://www.cnn.com/SHOWBIZ/Movies/9911/11/pokemon/. Retrieved 2009-09-04. 
  6. ^ a b c d e f g h i j "Norman J. Grossfield". New York Times. May 15, 2003. http://movies.nytimes.com/person/272685/Norman-J-Grossfeld/filmography. Retrieved 2009-09-04. 
  7. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o "Norman J. Grossfeld Filmography". inbaseline.com. http://www.inbaseline.com/person.aspx?person_id=37443. 
  8. ^ Johnson, Malcolm (July 21, 2000). "Ecological Pokémon On Parade". Hartford Courant (Hartford, Connecticut). http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/courant/access/56741936.html?dids=56741936:56741936&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Jul+21%2C+2000&author=MALCOLM+JOHNSON%3B+Courant+Film+Critic&pub=Hartford+Courant&desc=ECOLOGICAL+POKEMON+ON+PARADE&pqatl=google. Retrieved 2009-09-04. 
  9. ^ Garin, Nina (April 7, 2001). "`Pokémon 3' takes all ages on an emotional adventure". The San Diego Union - Tribune (San Diego, California). http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/sandiego/access/71009493.html?dids=71009493:71009493&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Apr+07%2C+2001&author=Nina+Garin&pub=The+San+Diego+Union+-+Tribune&desc=%60Pokemon+3%27+takes+all+ages+on+an+emotional+adventure&pqatl=google. Retrieved 2009-09-04. 
  10. ^ Friedman, Lisa (April 6, 2001). "'Pokémon' churns out yet another sequel Movie Review". Daily Herald. http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=ADHB&p_theme=adhb&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0ECC895459198078&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM. Retrieved 2009-09-04. 
  11. ^ Koehler, Robert (October 7, 2002). "Pokémon 4ever. (Film Review)". Daily Variety (Reed Business Information, Inc.). http://www.accessmylibrary.com/coms2/summary_0286-26410787_ITM. Retrieved 2009-09-04. 
  12. ^ Koehler, Robert (May 15, 2003). "Pokémon Heroes: Latios & Latias. (Film Review).(Movie Review)url=http://www.accessmylibrary.com/coms2/summary_0286-23362984_ITM". Daily Variety. Reed Business Information. 
  13. ^ Koehler, Robert (August 12, 2004). "Yu-Gi-Oh! The Movie: Pyramid of Light". Variety. Reed Business Information. http://www.accessmylibrary.com/coms2/summary_0286-13203862_ITM. Retrieved 2009-09-04. 
  14. ^ Hinman, Catherine (November 20, 1995). "Martial Arts Show Back At Universal". Orlando Sentinel. http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/orlandosentinel/access/77881009.html?dids=77881009:77881009&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Nov+20%2C+1995&author=Catherine+Hinman+of+The+Sentinel+Staff&pub=Orlando+Sentinel&desc=MARTIAL+ARTS+SHOW+BACK+AT+UNIVERSAL&pqatl=google. Retrieved 2009-09-04. 
  15. ^ "Two Perfect Girls". allmusic.com. http://www.allmusic.com/song/t4319403. Retrieved 2009-09-04. 
  16. ^ "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles End Credits". http://www.ninjaturtles.com/cartoon/2003/credits.html. Retrieved 2009-09-04. 
  17. ^ "I'm Back". allmusic.com. http://www.allmusic.com/song/t5879951. Retrieved 2009-09-04.